


of nightingales and speckled sparrows

by Russy



Series: Dadriel ficlets [1]
Category: His Dark Materials (TV), His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Comfort, Dad Lord Asriel, Dadriel, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Night Terrors, Nightmares, Parent-Child Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:38:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21806716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Russy/pseuds/Russy
Summary: Asriel pushed the door then, gently, as not to wake her, but he discovered Lyra awake, curled up on her side with her knees close to her chest, hugging a winded, tomcat Pantalaimon to herself. She was breathing raggedly, and big, fat glassy tears were rolling down her cheeks.
Relationships: Lord Asriel & Lyra Belacqua
Series: Dadriel ficlets [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1666882
Comments: 4
Kudos: 77





	of nightingales and speckled sparrows

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first fic ever, and I've been dying to write dadriel for some time now, as I've also been inspired by the amazing Val_Creative (who's works I encourage you to check out, they're incredible). Please let me know what you think of this fic, or if you have any suggestions or requests.❤

The musky night sky was cool and breezy, speckled with lightly shimmering stars. It must have been past midnight, by now, and Asriel was ready to retire from his study. He'd spent the last few evenings drafting up papers for a new project in experimental physics, and if everything went well, he would get the funding necessary for conducting research in less than a month's time.

He stood, stretching his shoulders back and yawning. Stelmaria stood, too, from where she had been seated on a sheepskin rug in front of the fireplace, following him out of the study and into the dimly lit hallway. 

The door to Lyra's room was half open, and he could see the littering of her bedcovers from where he was standing, mussed up into a pile by the foot of the bed.

Asriel pushed the door then, gently, as not to wake her, but he discovered Lyra awake, curled up on her side with her knees close to her chest, hugging a winded, tomcat Pantalaimon to herself. She was breathing raggedly, and big, fat glassy tears were rolling down her cheeks.

"Lyra?"

She lifted her head, then, and Pantalaimon inched away from her and towards Stelmaria, who had padded inside the room and was now sitting by the bed, gazing up at Lyra and her daemon with unblinking, tawny eyes. Asriel stepped inside, too, kneeling by the edge of Lyra's bed. 

"Nightmare?" Asriel asked, although he already knew the answer. His daughter had been overrun by nightmares for a few months now.

Lyra nodded, her full, sad tears starting anew.

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

A head shake. She almost never did.

"Come, then, do you want to stay with me tonight?"

"Yes, please." Lyra said, almost whispering.

Lord Asriel stood, bending to pick her up. He strolled out of the room, carrying Lyra against his chest. Pantalaimon jumped from the bed and follwed them and Stelmaria out into the hallway, having turned into his favoured ermine form.

Asriel turned and opened the door to a neat, darkened bedroom, with chestnut furnishings and pale walls. He went towards the bed and sat Lyra on a side of it, bending down to wipe away at her remaining, stray tears with his thumbs. He stroked her hair then, soothingly, brushing a soft strand behing her ear before going around the bed and climbing on the other side of it.

Stelmaria had settled on the floor, on the soft carpet in the middle of the room, licking Pantalaimon's soft, shorthaired head, who'd sunk himself between her large front paws. 

Lyra sighed, rubbing at an eye. She scooted coloser to Lord Asriel, burrowing herself wholly against him. She was tired and weary, and all she wanted to do was sleep. Asriel rubbed her head again, gently, before pressing a soft kiss to the side of her forehead.

"Come, now, it's late. Try to sleep.", he said.

Lyra nodded, drowsily, before closing her eyes and nudging her head against her father's shoulder. 

She would be alright, he thought.

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr is rrusi-writes, you can message me/ send asks if you want to request something or just to chat.


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